2019 Chicago elections
The 2019 Chicago elections took place in two rounds on February 26, 2019, and April 2, 2019. Elections were held for Mayor of Chicago, City Clerk of Chicago, City Treasurer of Chicago, and all 50 members of the Chicago City Council. The candidates who won in these elections were inaugurated on May 20, 2019. Four ballot referenda were also voted on in certain precincts. The elections were administered by the Chicago Board of Elections.
Mayor
Incumbent mayor Rahm Emanuel announced on September 4, 2018, that he would not run for re-election, reversing his previous announcement that he would run. Fourteen candidates appeared on the ballot in the first round election on February 26, 2019. Since no candidates won 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters advanced to a run-off election. These candidates were former President of the Chicago Police Board Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. In the general election on April 2, 2019, Lightfoot defeated Preckwinkle, winning with 73.7% of the vote.Candidates
Candidates who advanced to runoff
The following candidates advanced to the runoff election on April 2- Lori Lightfoot, Former President of the Chicago Police Board, Chair of the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force'''
- Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners since 2010, former Alderman from the 4th Ward
Candidates eliminated in the first round
- Gery Chico, Chair of the Illinois State Board of Education, President of the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners
- Bill Daley, White House Chief of Staff, United States Secretary of Commerce
- Amara Enyia, Director of the Austin Chamber of Commerce
- Bob Fioretti, Former Alderman from the 2nd Ward
- La Shawn Ford, Member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 2007
- John Kozlar, Candidate for Alderman from the 11th Ward in 2011 and 2015
Owner of Omar Medical Supplies'''
Write-in candidates
- Rebecca Ayers
- Catherine Brown D’Tycoon, activist
- Ja’Mal Green, executive director of the Majostee Allstars Community Center and Black Lives Matter activist
- Daniel Fein
- Ryan Friedman
- Stephen Hodge
- John P. Loftus
- Richard Benedict Mayers, perennial candidate and alleged white supremacist, write-in candidate for Chicago City Clerk, Treasurer, and alderman in 2019; congressional candidate in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2016, and 2018; 1998 State House candidate; 1993 Berwyn city clerk and city treasurer candidate
- Tamara McCullough AKA Tamar Manasseh
- Robert A. Palmer
- Ziff A. Sistiunk
- Eric “Kubi” James Stewart
- Romaine Ware
- Roger L. Washington, police officer, educator at Malcolm X College, pastor, candidate for alderman in Chicago's 24th ward in 2015
- Gregory Young
Petitions rejected
- Conrien Hykes Clark, octogenarian elementary school volunteer
- Dorothy A. Brown Cook, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County since 2000
- Catherine Brown D'Tycoon, activist subsequently ran as write-in
- Sandra L. Mallory, former local school council president, former Chicago Public Schools security officer, candidate for alderman in Chicago's 15th ward in 2003 and 2015
- Richard Mayers, perennial candidate and alleged white supremacist, congressional candidate in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2016, and 2018; 1998 State House candidate; 1993 Berwyn city clerk and city treasurer candidate subsequently ran as write-in
- Roger L. Washington, police officer, educator at Malcolm X College, pastor, candidate for alderman in Chicago's 24th ward in 2015 subsequently ran as write-in
Withdrew
- Rahm Emanuel, incumbent Mayor of Chicago
- Ja'Mal Green, executive director of the Majostee Allstars Community Center and Black Lives Matter activist subsequently ran as write-in
- William J. Kelly, radio host and perennial candidate, candidate for mayor in 2015, gubernatorial candidate in 2018, candidate for state comptroller in 2010, congressional candidate in 1994
- Troy LaRaviere, president of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association
- Matthew Rooney
- William "Dock" Walls, perennial candidate, candidate for mayor in 2007, 2011, 2015
Declined
- Chance the Rapper, rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer
- Richard Boykin, former member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
- Anthony Beale, Alderman from the 9th ward
- Walter Burnett Jr., Alderman from the 27th ward
- Tom Dart, Cook County Sheriff
- Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education and former CEO of Chicago Public Schools
- Bridget Gainer, member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
- Chuy García, Congressman from Illinois's 4th congressional district, former member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and candidate for mayor in 2015
- Luis Gutierrez, former Congressman from Illinois's 4th congressional district
- Valerie Jarrett, former director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs
- Ra Joy, executive director of CHANGE Illinois and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018;
- Raymond Lopez, alderman of the 15th Ward
- Lisa Madigan, former Attorney General of Illinois
- Proco Joe Moreno, member of the Chicago City Council from the 1st ward
- David Orr, former Cook County Clerk, former mayor of Chicago 1987–1987;
- Ricardo Muñoz, member of the Chicago City Council from the 22nd ward
- Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer
- Ameya Pawar, member of the Chicago City Council, and candidate for governor in 2018
- Mike Quigley, Congressman from Illinois's 5th congressional district
- Pat Quinn, candidate for Illinois Attorney General in 2018, former Governor of Illinois, former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois and former Treasurer of Illinois
- Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Alderman for the 35th Ward
- Kwame Raoul, Attorney General of Illinois, former member of the Illinois Senate
- Larry Rogers Jr., commissioner of the Cook County Board Of Review
- Michael Sacks, chief executive officer of GCM Grosvenor
- Roderick Sawyer, member of the Chicago City Council and chair of the Chicago City Council Black Caucus
- Kurt Summers, City Treasurer of Chicago
- Pat Tomasulo, sportscaster, comedian
- Tom Tunney, member of the Chicago City Council from the 44th ward
- Anna M. Valencia, Chicago City Clerk
- Scott Waguespack, member of the Chicago City Council and chairman of the council's Progressive Reform Caucus
- Jesse White, Secretary of State of Illinois and former state representative
Results
City Clerk
Incumbent City Clerk Anna M. Valencia ran unopposed on the ballot after two potential challengers were removed for the ballot due to a lack of sufficient nominating petition signatures. Valencia thus won in the first round election on February 26, 2019.Valencia had been first appointed in 2017 following the resignation of Susana Mendoza.
Candidates
On ballot
- Anna M. Valencia, incumbent City Clerk
Write-in
- Richard Benedict Mayers, perennial candidate and alleged white supremacist, write-in candidate for Chicago mayor, Treasurer, and alderman in 2019, congressional candidate in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2016, and 2018; 1998 State House candidate; 1993 Berwyn city clerk and city treasurer candidate
- William "Dock" Walls, perennial candidate, candidate for mayor in 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019
Petitions rejected
- Elizabeth Arias-Ibarra
- Patricia Horton, former Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Commissioner, candidate for 3rd Ward Chicago alderman in 2015, candidate for 3rd district Cook County Commissioner in 2018
Endorsements
Results
City Treasurer
Incumbent City Treasurer Kurt Summers announced that he would not run for re-election on October 16, 2018. Three candidates appeared on the first round ballot on February 26, 2019: Illinois state representative Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Chicago alderman Ameya Pawar, and accountant Peter Gariepy. Conyears-Ervin and Pawar advanced to the run-off election on April 2, where Conyears-Ervin won with 59.4% of the vote.Candidates
On ballot
- Melissa Conyears-Ervin, member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 10th district since 2017
- Peter Gariepy, candidate for Cook County Treasurer in 2018
- Ameya Pawar, 47th ward Chicago alderman
Write-in
- Richard Benedict Mayers, perennial candidate and alleged white supremacist, write-in candidate for Chicago mayor, City Clerk, and alderman in 2019, congressional candidate in 2000, 2002, 2008, 2016,, and 2018; 1998 State House candidate; 1993 Berwyn city clerk and city treasurer candidate
Endorsements
First round
Runoff
Polls
Runoff
First round
Results
City Council
Of the 50 wards represented in Chicago City Council, 45 incumbent aldermen ran for re-election, of whom 38 were re-elected. In the first round election on February 26, 2019, four new aldermen were elected, including three who defeated incumbents. Elections in fourteen wards advanced to run-off elections on April 2, when eight new aldermen were elected. A total of 12 new aldermen were elected.Ballot measures
Four referenda appeared on the ballot in certain precincts on February 26, 2019:- Rent Control Referendum
- Obama Center Referendum
- Marijuana Tax Revenue Allocation Referendum
- El Paseo Trail Referendum
Voter turnout
First round
Turnout in the first round of the election was 35.45%. The low turnout was attributed to poor youth turnout and a drop off in voter turnout from the 2018 midterms.On the day of the election, there were concerns that the turnout was on track to be low enough to supplant 2007 Chicago elections as the record setter for the lowest municipal election turnout in Chicago history during a mayoral election year.
The 35.45% turnout was higher than that of the first round of the 2015 election, but was lower than that of the 2015 runoff. Turnout was lower than in the previous year with an open race for mayor, which was 2011.
Turnout was reported to be lowest among the millennial age demographic, with a lower turnout among those under 35 than the previous lowest under-35 turnout in 2007.
;Turnout by ward
| Ward | Registered voters | Ballots cast | Turnout % |
| 1 | 36,862 | 12,510 | 33.94% |
| 2 | 39,995 | 13,738 | 34.35% |
| 3 | 37,694 | 13,629 | 36.16% |
| 4 | 36,065 | 14,435 | 40.02% |
| 5 | 31,778 | 13,443 | 42.30% |
| 6 | 32,682 | 10,423 | 31.89% |
| 7 | 32,129 | 10,396 | 32.36% |
| 8 | 37,470 | 13,874 | 37.03% |
| 9 | 36,294 | 11,654 | 32.11% |
| 10 | 26,883 | 8,532 | 31.74% |
| 11 | 28,300 | 10,640 | 37.60% |
| 12 | 20,387 | 6,054 | 29.70% |
| 13 | 28,355 | 12,702 | 44.80% |
| 14 | 21,290 | 7,336 | 34.46% |
| 15 | 18,989 | 5,192 | 27.34% |
| 16 | 24,882 | 5,729 | 23.02% |
| 17 | 29,727 | 8,146 | 27.40% |
| 18 | 33,866 | 12,216 | 36.07% |
| 19 | 37,453 | 21,375 | 57.07% |
| 20 | 25,924 | 7,744 | 29.87% |
| 21 | 37,638 | 12,700 | 33.74% |
| 22 | 20,304 | 5,006 | 24.66% |
| 23 | 25,797 | 9,175 | 35.57% |
| 24 | 26,881 | 6,569 | 24.44% |
| 25 | 29,680 | 10,116 | 34.08% |
| 26 | 29,138 | 8,985 | 30.84% |
| 27 | 37,398 | 10,603 | 28.35% |
| 28 | 33,061 | 8,484 | 25.66% |
| 29 | 36,132 | 10,962 | 30.34% |
| 30 | 25,724 | 7,571 | 29.43% |
| 31 | 24,865 | 6,565 | 26.40% |
| 32 | 37,261 | 13,445 | 36.08% |
| 33 | 27,606 | 11,086 | 40.16% |
| 34 | 37,053 | 11,892 | 32.09% |
| 35 | 25,920 | 8,072 | 31.14% |
| 36 | 24,528 | 5,864 | 23.91% |
| 37 | 31,660 | 7,839 | 24.76% |
| 38 | 33,342 | 11,032 | 33.09% |
| 39 | 32,971 | 13,464 | 40.84% |
| 40 | 32,112 | 13,542 | 42.17% |
| 41 | 37,201 | 18,014 | 48.42% |
| 42 | 43,577 | 13,729 | 31.51% |
| 43 | 36,088 | 14,530 | 40.26% |
| 44 | 38,133 | 15,422 | 40.44% |
| 45 | 35,102 | 15,013 | 42.77% |
| 46 | 34,656 | 14,217 | 41.02% |
| 47 | 39,593 | 19,678 | 49.70% |
| 48 | 34,185 | 15,450 | 45.20% |
| 49 | 29,160 | 12,531 | 42.97% |
| 40 | 27,964 | 9,377 | 33.53% |
| Total | 1,581,755 | 560,701 | 35.45% |
Runoff
At 33.08%, turnout in the runoff matched the all-time low for municipal election turnout in a mayoral election year, set by the 2007 Chicago elections.;Turnout by ward
| Ward | Registered Voters | Ballots cast | Turnout % |
| 1 | 37,225 | 10,892 | 29.26% |
| 2 | 40,179 | 12,931 | 32.18% |
| 3 | 37,958 | 13,303 | 35.05% |
| 4 | 36,315 | 14,539 | 40.04% |
| 5 | 32,066 | 13,905 | 43.36% |
| 6 | 32,899 | 11,360 | 34.53% |
| 7 | 32,349 | 10,551 | 32.62% |
| 8 | 37,630 | 14,189 | 37.71% |
| 9 | 36,430 | 11,881 | 32.61% |
| 10 | 27,016 | 6,493 | 24.03% |
| 11 | 28,497 | 8,774 | 30.79% |
| 12 | 20,530 | 4,143 | 20.18% |
| 13 | 28,541 | 8,523 | 29.86% |
| 14 | 21,487 | 4,733 | 22.03% |
| 15 | 19,112 | 5,451 | 28.52% |
| 16 | 25,031 | 5,908 | 23.60% |
| 17 | 29,859 | 8,282 | 27.74% |
| 18 | 34,007 | 11,558 | 33.99% |
| 19 | 37,661 | 18,985 | 50.41% |
| 20 | 26,261 | 7,822 | 29.79% |
| 21 | 37,773 | 13,730 | 36.35% |
| 22 | 20,386 | 3,767 | 18.48% |
| 23 | 25,909 | 6,927 | 26.74% |
| 24 | 27,199 | 6,610 | 24.30% |
| 25 | 29,940 | 9,817 | 32.79% |
| 26 | 29,340 | 7,365 | 25.10% |
| 27 | 37,808 | 10,507 | 27.79% |
| 28 | 33,390 | 8,393 | 25.14% |
| 29 | 36,240 | 11,183 | 30.86% |
| 30 | 25,911 | 7,979 | 30.79% |
| 31 | 25,011 | 6,722 | 26.88% |
| 32 | 37,517 | 12,730 | 33.93% |
| 33 | 27,834 | 11,577 | 41.59% |
| 34 | 37,257 | 12,123 | 32.54% |
| 35 | 26,062 | 6,984 | 26.80% |
| 36 | 24,704 | 5,586 | 22.61% |
| 37 | 31,781 | 7,863 | 24.74% |
| 38 | 33,493 | 10,180 | 30.39% |
| 39 | 33,111 | 13,494 | 40.75% |
| 40 | 32,313 | 14,119 | 43.69% |
| 41 | 37,401 | 14,956 | 39.99% |
| 42 | 43,894 | 13,178 | 30.02% |
| 43 | 36,449 | 14,181 | 38.91% |
| 44 | 38,496 | 13,586 | 35.29% |
| 45 | 35,302 | 12,377 | 35.06% |
| 46 | 34,981 | 14,358 | 41.05% |
| 47 | 39,870 | 19,207 | 48.17% |
| 48 | 34,381 | 14,921 | 43.40% |
| 49 | 29,712 | 10,431 | 35.11% |
| 50 | 28,140 | 7,812 | 27.76% |
| Total | 1,592,658 | 526,886 | 33.08% |